Alone
by Bluemoon375
Summary: All she seemed to know was how to be angry and alone. She came to embrace it, until it became her curse. But when a human manages to find their way into her territory after decades of isolation she finds herself questioning all she's believed. But more importantly, which one is more afraid of the other? One-Shot.


Through the window of her small isolated cottage out in the middle of the woods the Witch Princess watched as the rain from the raging storm outside washed away yet another day. Another day of nothing. Her existence continued to seem to be one destined for isolation and loneliness.

Though, it could be said that that was the case even before her darkest days had begun.

With the loss of her parents when she was a young child it seemed as if fate had intended for her to be alone since the beginning. While the small island community she once grew up in focused their efforts on producing a good yearly harvest in order to ensure their survival she instead devoted her time to the mysteries of the unknown, putting off her daily duties to pursue other interests.

In her time growing up the only person she'd ever come close to considering a friend was the old loner who had lived across the river on the edge of town, right beside the forest. An outcast like her, she would go to him almost daily for companionship and in return he filled her imagination with stories of sorcery and the mystical unknown. He seemed to be the only one who understood the need to sustain her young mind with a concept other than work. To her, he was practically a caring grandfather, the only concept of family she'd ever come to truly know.

When he finally drew his last breath and passed one stormy night in spring she was the only one who mourned him. The town had at least taken to respecting him with a burial but there was no funeral, no remembrance, just a hole in the ground. Naturally, this angered her. To see the man she idolized treated just as poorly in death as in life made her sick to her stomach. With the town's growth at a standstill, rather than watch his old house become overrun by spiders and dust she took it upon herself to maintain its somewhat dilapidated condition.

It was that decision that brought her to where she was today.

During her visits, even as she began to grow up into a young adult, he had always warned her never to read from the books that adorned his worn out shelves. He would tell her things such as they were too advanced for her, that they were in another language, or that they simply weren't meant for someone like her. He turned out to be telling the truth to an extent.

In dusting off one of the shelves a book carefully fell from its spot and straight down to her feet. She peered down at it and quickly looked away as she picked it up and shut it. Only she had kept her finger in the page it fell open to. Curiosity got the better of her and she opened the book to find a display of cryptic chants and spells spread across the page.

The stories she had once thought were fairytales were indeed true.

She locked herself away from the world then and began to study over the readings carefully. Each word she deciphered seemed to feed off the darkness that had been kept tucked away within in her lonely heart and that darkness soon turned into anger. Throughout her life it seemed as though not a single soul in town cared about her so she began to question why she should care about any of them in turn.

In the days that passed as she prepared to initiate her revenge against the town she began to radically change her appearance. Her once straightened hair became free to grow out as it pleased and transformed into a tangled wavy mess. Her typical dress wear was dyed to a morbid grey and purple ensemble and she donned one of her old friend's cloaks to wear as a cape, complete with a skull pin to keep it in place.

Then one summer afternoon, with the winds of destruction at her back, as the town prepared to begin their yearly harvest she reappeared. Proclaiming herself as the "Witch Princess" before them, she weaved outbreaks of terrible storms, frigid cold and unbearable heat to ensure the destruction of the town's crop, any additional hardships brought by her hand were simply seen as an added bonus. If they were to put so much pride and stock in their harvest then its ruin would be their undoing.

With their livelihood destroyed the town flew into a state of panic. Unknown to who she truly was they tried to reason with this so called Witch Princess but she asserted that as a princess they had no right to demand things from her and, that as witch, she was in no position to offer assistance to humans. In fact, it seemed as though her hated that was once reserved for those she knew began to soon extend towards all people. She felt as though she had experienced firsthand the misdeeds humanity was capable of and started to harbor a deep hatred for them. It was of no consequence to her when those in the town who had endured her onslaught of plagues quickly packed up and fled the island.

At least that's how it was initially.

With a whole island to herself the Witch Princess began to fully embrace the new powers she possessed in an effort to live up to the title she had given herself. Humanity in her eyes had turned into something of a personal plaything and she took it upon herself to torment any unsuspecting person who came upon her territory.

Her fun in time came to an abrupt end, however.

For decades her behavior had gone unnoticed until she one day attracted the attention of the powerful Harvest Goddess. A magical being since birth, she was far more powerful than the Witch Princess could ever hope to be. After hearing countless prayers from various victims the Harvest Goddess arrived at the Witch Princess's home set on putting her foot down. She appeared swiftly and without warning, aside from her usual triumphant greeting of "Ta-da," and administered her punishment. Knowing the Witch Princess's distain for humans she cursed her to forever remain bound to the island and sent forth her sprites all throughout the world to warn of her wicked presence in order to dissuade potential travelers. If the presence of humans was what made the Witch Princess feel so cold and isolated then she would be able to forever live on her island without them in happiness. Establishing a Goddess Pond within the vicinity of the Witch Princess's home in order to keep tabs on her, the Goddess then departed back to her higher realm, leaving the Witch Princess truly alone.

And there she remained, just a bit over a century later without any contact since then.

She had considered it somewhat of an accomplishment that she had managed to not go truly insane during her time in isolation but everything she had come to believe seemed thrown out of order. Was she truly some sort of monster to be feared? Was she to blame for every downside in her life? Was she rightfully being punished? And if the Goddess was right and it was proximity to humans that made her feel so bad about herself why did being alone only make her feel worse? To some questions she felt as though the answer was all too obvious, even if she didn't want to admit it, but others left her more puzzled.

In her time alone she would think back to the townsfolk who she had once grown up with. Alone and without a family of her own she had been forced to watch as everyone around her could go once the day was done to a home filled with a loving family while she was to remain isolated in the shadows. Deep down, she began to believe the real reason for her pain was simply because she longed to know what it was like to be loved. While her old friend had indeed sought to provide companionship to her even then she could tell that a friendship was all it was. Though she could say she saw him as a grandfather, she knew he probably couldn't say the same for her. She was just an ear for him to speak to.

Maybe if she had tried, if she had made an effort back then to extend herself to someone more social she might have had a chance of being adopted into one of the various families she knew of and this whole situation might have been avoided. But it was her mistake to have stood idly by while the pain inside her grew allowing her to transform into what she was today. It was her mistake and now she had to suffer for it.

Late that night the Witch Princess stirred in her bed as she awoke to the presence of a feeling she hadn't felt in quite some time. It was similar to the feeling that one might get if they felt as though they were being watched but it wasn't as extreme. No, it was if she could almost sense something.

Or someone.

She practically leapt out of bed as her curiosity began to grow. The storm from early had died down and left in its place a light drizzle accompanied by a thin layer of fog along the forest floor. There was no visible sign of any sort of life outside the vicinity of her home but this sense triggered in her wasn't going to allow her a proper night's sleep without a proper investigation. As she wandered to the rack where she kept her cloak her mind tried to write off whatever could possibly be out there waiting for it. It could be a large animal wandering near her home from one of the other abandoned areas of the island; it could be one of those strange giant birds she's come to occasionally see up in the sky reflecting the sun's light.

Or maybe she had finally snapped and her mind was beginning to play tricks on her.

Heading out through the door she quietly closed it behind her and cast her ears out to the wilderness that surrounded her. Nothing but the sound of light rain falling against the leaves could be heard. She tightened the cloaks strings around her neck to offer herself some more protection from the cold as she began to wander off into the direction of the beach.

" _It must be a boat passing close by."_ She thought to herself. _"Surely that must be it."_

In between the army of trees the surrounded her she paused for a moment and perked up her ears as the sound of twigs breaking in the distance began to quietly echo around her. The pace of whatever seemed to be making the sound was too slow for her to attach to anything and she continued on her way, that sixth sense of hers growing more and more restless with each step.

Her pace slowed once she reached the beach and her eyes started to examined the site before her. Scattered across the shoreline appeared to be broken up planks amongst the usual hordes of driftwood that would typically find their way ashore. She approached the area with careful steps as to not disturb any possible evidence of what exactly had transpired here. Crouching down she examined the placement of the sand carefully. Though the rain had managed to displace some of it there was no doubt in her mind that the imprint she found was one of a body. Whoever had made it seemed to have lain in that spot for quite some time before dragging themselves up to their feet and staggering off into the forest.

Had those sounds she heard early truly have been a person?

Moving through the trees the Witch Princess's mind managed to out run her faster walking pace. Why would a human be here? Was it an accident? Did they know of her presence there or did they wind up here unintentionally? Such thoughts continued to run throughout her head even once she stopped when she got an answer.

Pressing up against a tree to remain in its shadow she watched as the person in question limped through her territory. They appeared to be young, right around the age she'd found herself physically stuck once she began to first dabble in the dark arts, and in what seemed to be a fair amount of pain. They gripped the right side of their body tightly as if trying to apply pressure to something and the way they staggered about the area indicated that their sense of balance was quite off. They caught themselves as they fell to their knees and looked about.

"H-Hello…?" They asked in a raised voice. "Anyo-one?"

The Witch Princess hugged against the tree she stood beside. Had they seen her?

After receiving no reply the figure slowly rose to their feet and resumed limping away.

"Anyone?"

The Witch Princess kept her distance as she trailed closely behind them from the shadows.

Did they need immediate medical attention? Were they alone she wondered? What was she to do?

Then another idea filled her mind. What if this was an elaborate test by the Harvest Goddess? Could this person before her be an illusion created by who she considered her tormentor? Was it a test to see if she had changed? A means to see if she still harbored ill will against humans?

Her preoccupation with her thoughts caused her to carelessly step on a branch. The sound of it snapping in half attracted the attention of her guest.

"W-w-who's there?" It asked as it frantically began to look in her direction.

The Witch Princess let out an audible gasp at being noticed and receded back into the trees.

"I… I know you're out there!" They shouted before gripping their side tightly once more. "I h-hear you!"

She could feel as her heart began to race. Was she truly this afraid? Then again why shouldn't she be? She had created a reputation for herself as something to be feared by people, something to be hated. If she was to reveal herself to this stranger and they were indeed not allied with the Harvest Goddess she had no doubt in her mind they would instantly fear or despise her, just like everyone else she had known.

For once the idea of it didn't seem to make her angry as much as it did hurt her. What was she to do?

The figure breathed heavily as it continuously scanned the area around itself. "Show yourself!"

The Witch Princess didn't even move.

The person began to slowly limp backwards as it began to quietly cry in pain. They reached behind themselves and once they felt a tree come up behind them they back against it and slowly slide down it.

"I… I need help…" They spoke, its tone much calmer than before. "Please…"

Surely this was proof that it was a test. The Witch Princess continued to watch from a distance, afraid to approach it. What was she supposed to do? Was she to possibly risk herself and try to aid them at the risk of harassment? Should she wait and see if this potential illusion just disappears? Should she step forward and prove she's changed?

Had she changed though?

And who would she be proving it to? The Goddess? Or herself?

The person against the tree let out a cry in pain as they seemed to grip their side even tighter. Even in the dim light the Witch Princess could see as they shook in their predicament.

They were alone and seemed to be without anyone out here. She knew exactly what that was like. To believe you were alone without anyone. She had lived that life and spent it without bothering to look for someone. The person before her on the other hand, at least in their condition, was unable to seek out anyone.

And that's when she found her answer.

She didn't care if this was some test. She didn't care if they were an illusion cooked up by her imagination or the Goddess. She realized that her efforts long ago to prove herself to be different from everyone, to be better than them, were all wrong. If she truly wanted to be better than the people she despised she had to regain the side of humanity she was never able to experience but desired to.

She had to help them.

Her heart continued to race as she took her first step away from the tree she was hidden behind. Taking a deep breath she looked upon the person against the tree, their head now drooped down. She had to do this. Without a word she took another step, and then another. Each one seemed perfectly planned and calculated. As the distance between her and her target shrunk they looked up at her, stopping her in her tracks when they appeared to begin and panic.

"W-W-Who are you?" They asked frantically.

She paused for a moment before taking a few more steps towards them.

They raised their arm up and pointed at her. "Y-Y-Your eyes…! W-What's wrong with your eyes?"

She stopped again and brought her hand up to her eyes. She had forgotten about the mystic glow her red eyes possessed and how frightening she must already appear. She remained still for a moment, almost ready to turn away but knew she couldn't. She had come so far.

Without a response she walked up to the person without another stop, even as they attempted to back further against the tree.

"S-S-Stay away from me." They stuttered in their panic.

She knelt beside them and looked them in their eyes. It was boy, as she could now tell, with emerald green eyes that trembled at the site of her.

"Please… I want to help…" She replied gently.

His chest continuously raised and collapsed at a fast pace as he silently stared back at her. His eyes seemed to tell her that he didn't fully believe that that was her intent.

"Where… Where does it hurt?" She asked as she placed a hand on his chest before quickly removing it as he flinched upon contact.

He, again, remained silent.

Though she had approached him anticipating rejection his behavior still managed to generate a newfound pain in her heart. She was afraid and trying her hardest to assist him but had no idea where to go if he wasn't going to give her a chance. She dropped her head and joined him in silence.

Neither one of them uttered a word as the rain began to slightly pick up.

"You… want to help me…?" The boy finally asked.

She looked at him and hoped that the few tears that had begun to form in her eyes weren't visible. "Y-Yes…"

He took a few more deep breaths before grunting in pain.

"You're hurt." She said with utmost concern. "Please… let me help you."

He looked down at the hand gripping his side before looking back at her. "My… my side…"

Her eyes looked down in it. It wasn't entirely clear but he appeared to be bleeding.

"I… I got stabbed by a nasty piece of wood in an accident…" He told her.

Without a response she slowly lifted her hands up and placed them on the location in question. Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest as she took a deep breath in preparation. Experience had shown that her powers were an easy generator of fear amongst people but in this situation she didn't have much of a choice. She closed her eyes and began to recite some ancient words under her breath, causing her hands to generate a faint blue glow. Immediately the boy violently flinched.

"W-W-What are you doing?" He shouted as he, again, tried to back up further against the tree.

The Witch Princess hung her head in shame. "I… I'm sorry…"

"…"

I've… forgotten how scary this must really be..." She continued. "To… to interact with a witch…"

"A… A witch?" The boy asked in disbelief. "I-Is that what you are?"

She didn't offer a reply because the answer seemed obvious enough.

She couldn't see it but the boy's eyes began to examine her closely. While all evidence pointed of course to her being a witch her offer to help him recover seemed far from the typical image of one.

"Why do you want to help me?" He asked.

She wasn't sure how to answer. Should she tell him the truth or make him believe that this was her typical behavior? Maybe just cut her losses and tell him that this is a dream before running away?

She settled for the truth.

"I… I know what it's like to be alone and hurt…" She answered without looking up. "I… I know and that's why I want to help…"

He waited a moment before replying.

"Look… I… I'm not entirely sure if I can trust you but… you haven't tried to hurt me yet so I guess I have nothing to lose so far…" He told her.

She looked back up at him as he uncovered his injuries again. She remained hesitant until he she saw him nod his head at her, prompting her to touch his side again. Resuming her spell the bright light began to shine from her hands once more. He winced, not in reaction to any sort of pain caused from her spell, but seemingly as a precaution. She removed her hands once the glow faded.

"That should remove the pain." She explained. "It still needs to be fully tended to but it shouldn't hurt for a while."

She felt confident for the first time that night.

He tapped the spot the spot a few times with his hand. "It… it worked."

He looked at her and smiled but she avoided his stare and brushed away some of her hair.

"T-Thank you…" He said.

She didn't respond as the rain continued to pick up.

The boy looked upwards towards the clearing in the trees and back at her.

"Do… do you have a place to stay?" He asked.

She looked at him with surprise. _"Does he want to stay with me?"_

"Or, does anyone else live here?" He continued.

She shook her head and looked back at the ground.

"You live here alone?" He asked.

She nodded her head slowly. "For nearly the past two centuries…"

He wanted to remain quiet and think over her words but a faint rumble of thunder in the distance kept him going. "Another storm might be coming… please… we need to get somewhere indoors."

She nodded again silently and stood up. He attempted to but injuries elsewhere seemed to keep him down.

"Here." She offered as she wrapped her arm around him and brought him to his feet.

It was a slow walk but eventually they made it back to the Witch Princess's cottage as the storm began to pick up. Without any candles lit and barely any moonlight the inside of her home was dark, hiding many of the sinister materials that lay scattered around the room. She brought the boy over to her bed and sat him down on it.

"How do you feel?" She asked.

He attempted to pat his side again but winced in pain. "Ugh… I think the pain is starting to come back."

"I… I'm sorry…" She apologized. "I'm sorry…" She was practically on the verge of tears again.

The boy noticed her reaction to his words. "Please, don't worry. I'm doing better… now that you've found me."

She looked at him, her eyes red and not just from their normal color. "R-Really…?"

He smiled. "For someone who calls themselves a witch you're a lifesaver."

She could feel as her mouth tried to smile back but stopped when she saw him shudder in pain again. "Please… you have to rest."

"Here?" He asked.

She just nodded.

He examined her body language again. Even without proper lighting he could see that between the two of them she was clearly the more frightened and he could feel why. With every word she quietly spoke he could tell that she was trying her absolutely hardest to try and keep the situation under control and avoid a possible breakdown, from either side. There was no ulterior motive to her actions, and no goal beyond the one she spoke of, to help him.

He quietly nodded back.

"I'll… I'll… be here if you need anything…" She told him. "Please… rest… In the morning I'll help you, I promise I will, I'll-"

He raised his hand up to stop her.

"I… I get it." You said, trying his hardest to come off as polite. "I believe you."

Again she remained silent.

"You don't have to be so afraid." He told her. "I trust you."

"You… you do…?" She asked in disbelief. How could someone trust a witch like her?

"Like I said earlier, you haven't hurt me or anything yet so why should I have any reason to doubt you?" He explained.

She smiled. "Thank you…"

"I… I don't think I ever got your name." He said. "My name's Mark."

"O-Oh… you can call me the Witc-" She stopped herself. "Amber… My name's Amber…"

He smiled. "Well, thank you Amber."

Amber. It had been a long time since she'd gone by that.


End file.
